Most modern vehicles utilize antenna systems to transmit and/or receive radio communications. Typically, antennas are installed on (e.g., fastened to) an exterior of the vehicle. In order to provide desired communications coverage, the antenna may be subject to particular size and location constraints.
In aerospace vehicles, the particular type of antenna and/or the antenna location must account for various factors such as environmental exposure (e.g., airflow, ice accretion, lightning strike susceptibility, etc.), structural and coverage requirements (e.g., airframe shadowing, ground clearance, antenna crowding, etc.) and/or aerodynamic effects (e.g., weight, wind drag, etc.) One approach to exterior mounted antennas is covering the antenna with a radome mounted to the exterior of the vehicle. While a radome may reduce some of the aerodynamic effects and/or environmental exposure of the antenna, utilization of a radome increases the complexity, weight and cost of the antenna system.
In view of such factors, finding an appropriate location to mount the antenna on the outside of the aerospace vehicle may be difficult. As one particular example, and in the case of a helicopter, finding an appropriate location on the outside of a helicopter body to mount the antenna, where the antenna will not interfere with a rotor, a stabilizer, or control surfaces of the helicopter, may be more difficult. Certain structures of the aerospace vehicle may provide a more attractive location for embedding conformal antennas, particularly for longer wavelengths such as high frequency (“HF”), very high frequency (“VHF”) and/or ultra high frequency (“UHF”), than other structures.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of antenna systems for aerospace vehicles.